Trimble County Public Schools

Position/Job Description

  

 

Exceptional Student Education

SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT

  

Purpose:  To assist exceptional education and regular education teachers with completing instructional, behavioral, clerical, health, and other professional duties.

Reports To:  Principal and Director of Special Education

Qualifications:

1. High School Diploma or GED

2. Desire to continue career improvement, plus one of the following qualifications:

3a. Completed two years of study at an institution of higher education (i.e.,   community college, college or university); OR

3b. Obtained an associate’s or higher degree; OR

3c. Met a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate, through passing the Kentucky Paraeducator Assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing reading, writing, and mathematics.

 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

1. General clerical skills.

2. Computer data entry experience preferred.

3. Ability to understand physical, health, and emotional behaviors and challenges of students with exceptionalities.

4. Ability to fulfill the dexterity and physical requirements of the work.

5. Ability to obtain and maintain certification/training in physical intervention procedures and verbal diffusion procedures.

6. Certification in First Aid, CPR, medication administration, and student specific training may be required.

7. Bilingual ability may be required per advertised vacancy specifications.

 

Essential Performance Responsibilities:

1. Provide instructional, vocational and developmental assistance to students with exceptionalities under the supervision of a certified professional.

2. Assist with the preparation and implementation of learning activities.

3. Maintain accurate and complete records of students’ activities and behaviors, which may require the use of a computer to enter student data, complete forms, schedules and reports.

4. Assist with the implementation of behavioral support plans including monitoring and charting of behavior, reinforcement procedures and preventative strategies.

5. Provide assistance in the learning area in dealing with behavioral problems by applying verbal diffusion and /or physical restraints as needed per district-approved procedures.

6. Respond to requests for crisis intervention under the direction of certified personnel.

7. Supervise students on the bus to and from school.

8. Care for students with special health needs according to an individual health care plan.

9. Perform individual or group health related procedures following measures designed to maintain the health and well being of students during school hours.  These tasks may include grooming, diaper changing, assisting students in and out of therapy equipment, health monitoring and observation, and interventions for chronic health conditions.  Training will be provided for health care tasks by the school nurse.

10. Make appropriate referrals to the teacher, guidance counselor and/or school nurse.

11. Perform clerical duties related to Health Services.

12. Maintain accurate health records for students.

13. Administer medication to students if designated to do so the principal and then only after appropriate training by the school nurse.  This may include the administration of emergency medication by injection and/or suppository.

14. Maintain knowledge of blood-borne pathogens and practice Universal Precautions to ensure optimal communicable disease control in the school classroom setting.

15. Attend and pass medication administration and student specific training.

16. Attend professional development activities designed to increase knowledge of current health services protocols and instructional practices and procedures.

17. Observe confidentiality of student records at all times.

18. Obtain and maintain certification in first aid, CPR, AED, medication administration and student specific training.

19. Supervise students in bus areas, classroom, lunchroom, play areas, study time and in other assigned areas.

20. Lift medical equipment, supplies, records and/or provide assistance to students who are immobile.

21. Assist with physically transferring students from wheelchairs, mats, positioning tables, toilets, lifts or other positioning equipment.

22. Assist students with gross and fine motor activities such as grasping, holding objects, posture, crawling, walking and running as appropriate to their Individual Education Plan.

23. Assist with the supervision of students during field trips, as assigned by the Principal and/or Designee.

24. Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal, Director of Special Education and /or Designee.

     

     

Equipment/Materials:

Wheel chairs, safety harnesses, augmentative devices, walkers, strollers, lifts, mats, positioning tables, and other equipment specific to student’s disability

 

Physical Requirements: Heavy Work

• Ability to lift at least 50 pounds

• Ability to exert in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or in excess of 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects

   

  Physical Activities:

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, twist, and reach

• Ability to push, pull, or lift exerting up to 100 pounds of force

• Finger Dexterity - picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm.

• Grasping – applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with the skin, particularly that of fingertips.

• Repetitive Motion – substantial and continuous movements of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

• Talking – expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.

• Hearing Acuity – perceiving speech and other environmental sounds at normal loudness levels.

• Visual Acuity – seeing at a level which allows reading of numbers and text, operation of equipment, inspection of machines, etc.

• Vision

  • Color - ability to identify and distinguish colors

  • Peripheral – observing an area that can be seen up and down or right and left when eyes are fixed on a given point.

     

    Working Conditions:  The worker is subject to both environmental conditions as activities occur both inside and outside.

     

    Salary:  Commensurate with the school district’s Classified Salary Schedule

     

    Note:  This description of performance responsibilities is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required of positions that will be given this title and shall not be construed a declaration of what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be.  It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct or control the work of employees under his/her supervision.  The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of a similar kind or level of difficulty with the job description.